Death's Champion
by CoastalFirebird
Summary: Death decides to help Harry out, and in so doing alters Dumbledore's plans, Ron's hopes, and Harry's out look on house loyalty. Ron bashing, Dumbledore is misguided, and an HPDG romance.
1. Death's Reprieve

Chapter One: Death's Reprieve

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or affiliated characters, places, and things. They all belong to J.K. Rowling and affiliated companies. This particular plot is mine however. And to make it seem more cohesive to the original stories I am using some of the lines from them, but they are not my material. They came for the excellent mind of their owner. There are lines from Goblet of Fire in here. I will not treat them any different than a normal line of text. If you find this taboo: I'm sorry.

A/N: Okay I know this is like the sixth story that I've got up, but this challenge is bugging me! This is both in response to a Challenge offered to me by Valdiusmacto, and inspired by a story I was working on with NashaylaPaige. This starts in Goblet of Fire. Tell me if it is a good start or not. If anyone wants to use this they can. Reviews feed my soul, so feed me readers.

Harry Potter's arms were trembling. His wand was barely staying in his hands. He felt as if he had run five miles up a mountain nonstop. He could see the shadows of Bertha Jorkins, the old man, and Cedric walking around the battlefield yelling profanities at the Death Eaters outside the dome. What the young man could not see was the cloaked figure floating above the battle field. She could tell the boy was exhausted, frightened, and in severe pain.

Death was not used to feeling sympathy towards anyone, but she definitely felt it towards this boy. Fate had set him up with a damn near impossible task. He was to kill the man with whom he was now in a heated battle with, but the way things were going that wouldn't be for years to come. In all the boy's trials, hell throughout all his life, he had been beaten down. First by the man whose wand was locked with his own in an epic struggle for dominance, then his relatives, and then the headmaster's constant bungling of things he should be on top of. The boy should now be living with his godfather safe and sound. Learning what it meant to be a noble, but was he? No. Instead he was still living with people who hated him for things he had no control over, and could care less if he died. True his cousin was just a boy only a month older than him, but that didn't make him any less guilty than his parents for the abuse the young man suffered.

Death watched as Harry's mother slipped out of Voldemort's wand. The woman floated over to her son, and whispered in his ear. He looked happier than Death had ever seen him. As his father emerged from Voldemort's wand Death could feel the hope and happiness flow off the boy. She wanted to help him, but she knew if she did then others would die, but was that so bad? She had done worse that was for sure, but this was altering the Weave to such a degree that it might cause major problems.

No, that was a onetime thing, and that idiot was planning such horrors from the secret society. This was different. This was foreigner to her. This was saving a life. Well more than one if she did what she was thinking, but that was truly for the 'Greater Good'. And who knows maybe Magic would give her a treat when this was all over.

Once she saw the boy's father join him and his wife Death decided to act.

* * *

"Your father's coming…" she said quietly. "Hold on for your father… it will be all right… hold on…"

And he came… first his head, then his body… tall and untidy-hair like Harry, the smoky, shadowy form of James Potter blossomed from the end of Voldemort's wand, fell to the ground, and straightened like his wife. He walked close to Harry, looking down at him, and he spoke in the same distant, echoing voice as the others, but quietly, so Voldemort, his face now livid with fear as his victims now prowled around him, could not hear…

"When the connection is broken we will linger for only a moment…"

His father was interrupted by a soft feminine voice. "You will linger for a lot longer than a moment James Charles Potter." Harry and his father started looking around. Finally Harry noticed a dark cloud descending from the roof of the golden dome. The smoke formed into a cloaked figure with very frail looking hands. When he looked back to his father Harry's jaw fell open. His father was no longer ethereal in nature, he looked solid, and quiet healthy. Harry looked over to his mother. She too looked to be in a similar condition. The woman's voice grabbed Harry's attention again. "Cedric Diggory I, Death, reject you."

With those simple words Cedric's 'shadow' shot back into his body. Gold and violet sparks shot out of his body the moment the 'shadow' made contact with it. Harry was finding it harder now to keep the magic flowing off his wand from receding back into it. He knew this would allow Voldemort the victory he so craved, but even with all of this happening around him Harry seemed to be able to force the beads of light into Voldemort's wand.

"I am going to keep the two of you." The woman said as she gestured to Bertha Jorkins and the old man. Both of whom nodded in understanding. The woman then walked up to his parents. "Lilly Evans Potter I, Death, reject you."

If Harry was expecting his mother to shoot off to where ever she was buried he was horribly mistaken. She fell to her knees and screamed in agony as sparks of energy flew off her body. Harry for the briefest of moments caught a glimpse of another woman waving her hand over his mother's body. He could now feel the magic coursing off her body. It was causing the air around her to ripple as if it were a body of water and his mother a stone that had been thrown in it.

Harry looked at his father as Death spoke once more. "James Charles Potter I, Death, reject you."

As his father fell to the ground Harry felt a warm gentle hand touch his. Looking to his left he saw a pair of emerald green eyes like his own staring back at him. His mother was smiling, and Harry could feel the love she had for him radiate off of her. Within a few moments her hands were joined by a calloused one, more than like due to the games of quidditch his father played in his youth. The man mad Harry feel tiny, but just the same the smile he was giving him made him feel welcome.

"If you wish to stay alive I would recommend leaving now." Harry looked back at the woman in the long dark cloak. "There are enough souls here to buy you enough time to Accio the cup to your hand Harry while the others hold on to you. This should take you right back to Hogwarts. And before you do anything reckless James, Lily I did not restore you to life for you to throw it away."

The three of them just nodded at this. With one mighty tug Harry broke the connection with Voldemort's wand. The resounding snap seemed to startle the few Death Eaters that had arrived. As Harry and his parents ran for the Triwizard Cup he saw Cedric stand back up, and as if he knew what was going on ran to meet them at the Cup. Once the screaming of the shadows died down. Cedric, his Mum, and Dad grabbed Harry as he summoned the Cup into his hand.

* * *

Albus was pacing in front of the winners platform wondering what was taking Cedric and Harry so long to arrive outside of the maze. Surely they both didn't grab the Cup? He looked over once more at the spot where Karkaroff once stood. Victor Krum looked upset that his headmaster had just taken off without a word leaving his students to fend for themselves.

The sound of bounding feet caught his attentions. Looking to his left he saw a few Unspeakables running towards the Minister with panic stricken faces. As they began to speak Fudge's face got whiter and whiter. Hoping this was about Harry he walked over to the group.

"Is something the matter Minister?" Albus asked gently.

"I-I-I don't know Albus… Jonson, tell Professor Dumbledore what you've told me." Cornelius said a bit breathlessly.

The young man looked at Albus with fear in his eyes. "We were near Vail of Death when we heard this voice reject three people from the dead."

"Did you recognize the voice?" Albus asked.

"No sir, and that's not the important part. The important part is who was rejected." A woman only a few years older than the missing students said with a small smile.

"And who would that be?"

No sooner had Albus asked the question then the answer was provided for him as the Triwizard Cup returned to Hogwarts. Attached to it was Harry, Cedric, and through some miracle, James and Lily Potter.

* * *

Harry felt his feet slam into the ground with his parents and Cedric landing beside him. He could hear gasps coming from all around him. He assumed it was because of his parents being there, but once his father helped him to his feet he was made painfully aware that Death had followed them back to Hogwarts. All thoughts that Death was going to take his parents again were wiped from his mind when she touched a finger to his scar.

The night air was split by a soul wrenching scream. Harry could feel a burning sensation throughout his entire being. This was worse, if that was possible, then the Cruciatus Curse. When it was over a small black sickly orb was floating in the woman's hand. "I am leaving now don't squander the second chance I am giving you three." Death then pointed at his mum, dad, and Cedric.

"Oh we won't." His father whispered, wrapping an arm around his mother.

"You don't have to tell me twice." Cedric said.

"Tom this isn't funny," came Professor Dumbledore's voice. When a spell hit Death reality itself seemed to shake. "What have you done Tom?"

"Ignoring for a moment that I am woman, Albus I am Death and my true name is none of your damn business." Death held out her hand that contained the black mass. "This is Tom Riddle, aka Voldemort, aka Living Corpse, but my personal favorite is Brain Dead Moron. Just so you know there were fourteen ways _you, _Albus, could have removed this from him without taking his life." And with that Death left the same way she arrived: in a cloud of dark black smoke.

"Was that really Death?" asked the Minister.

"I believe so sir. That smoke was the same stuff that floats within the Veil of Death." said a woman who looked to only be few years older than Cedric. The look on the Ministers face was one of abject horror.

"Then… how did James and Lily return to life?" asked Professor Dumbledore.

"Through Priori Incantatem, Harry's wand core and Voldemort's come from the same Phoenix." His mother said. "As we left Voldemort's wand we learned a lot of things, and it was then that Death quite literally rejected us."

"This is all well and good but Harry needs to get to the Medical Wing while I discuss with James and Lily about the placement of Harry…" Professor Dumbledore was interrupted by his father.

"If you think we are sending him back to the Dursleys you are mistaken Albus." The anger in his father's voice was almost palpable. "I never thought you would leave a child in an abusive home."

His mother was helping support him. "Language James and Petunia never liked me Headmaster, so why would she care about Harry?"

"She didn't kick him out…"

Now it was his mother's turn to get angry. "_No she didn't_, but she let her husband beat my only child senseless, and let him starve half the time while she shoved food down the throat of her own son!"

Everyone in the crowed was now glaring at Professor Dumbledore. "Mum this isn't necessary."

"He needs to lie down." His father looked over his shoulder, and nodded curtly.

Harry was led back towards the castle. After a while he realized it was Mad-Eye Moody. Moody said something about taking him to his office first to ask Harry a few questions, and then they would go to the Hospital Wing. Once in Moody's office Harry noticed a distinct change in the man's attitude. He was asking a lot of questions about what happened after he and Cedric took the Triwizard Cup. After a while Harry started to wonder who this man was. Mad-Eye Moody was supposed to be against Dark Wizards and Witches, but this man sounded just like one.

"What I was not expecting was for your Mum and Dad to return Potter, but it doesn't matter. The Dark Lord will reward me for killing you, and then killing your parents… again."

"What are you talking about?" Harry asked.

And from there Moody went on to say how he had entered Harry into the Tournament, how he had given Neville that book to help him, but then had to slip the information about Gillyweed to Dobby, and how he had Imperioused Krum to slow down Diggory, and how he had bewitched the Triwizard Cup to send Harry to the graveyard where Voldemort had been resurrected.

"… He is back, Harry Potter, you did not conquer him- and now- I conquer you!"

Had the man paid attention during his diatribe he would have noticed the shapes in his foe glass becoming clearer, and clear.

* * *

James was standing there torn between laughing his arse off at the way Lily was tearing into Albus and Fudge, and joining her. At the moment he was looking at _very _familiar black dog whose tail was wagging nonstop. James looked over at his wife, and poked her in the ribs. She jumped and glared at him. He just pointed at the dog and wagged his finger. The dog let out a barking type laugh, and in that moment James knew that Sirius _was_ watching over his son.

Just thinking about Harry made something click. He looked over at Albus and then his wife. Both of them seemed to come to the same conclusion at the exact same time. Alastor Moody would not have taken their son away from them and Dumbledore. As if on cue they all took off towards the castle.

James could hear a host of people calling out his name. Looking behind him he saw Cornelius Fudge running behind them followed by a couple of Ministry dingbats. He chose to ignore them, and proceeded into the prestigious school. If memory served him right it really didn't matter how many Defense Against the Dark Arts teachers there were the classroom never changed.

As they ran through the castle James was surprised that the old Headmaster could keep up with him, and whether out of political grandstanding or out of abject horror of seeing Death itself, Cornelius Fudge was right behind them. Once at the DADA classroom Dumbledore let loose with a _Stupefy _the door was blasted inwards. 'Alastor Moody' was now lying flat on his back, and his son was seated in a chair with a look of terror on his face. Harry looked like he was about to draw his wand at that moment. Words were exchanged between Professor McGonagall and Dumbledore about whether Harry should go to the Medical Wing, and James happened to agree with Dumbledore Harry need to see who this man was for he was surely not Moody.

James turned to his wife to see if she was okay with this and found her standing in front of Minister Fudge who wanted to get a Dementor for his personal protection. It was at this point that James snapped.

"Cornelius do you honestly think that a disarmed, and unconscious man poses you any danger?" James yelled. This stopped all conversation.

"Lord Potter this man is out to overthrow…"

"No he is NOT! He was trying to kill my son, and I don't think anyone of us mattered to him." Cornelius looked like he wanted to say more, but James cut him off. "Cornelius if he wanted to kill you he could have done when Death itself was distracting us all."

"That woman was really Death?" Cornelius went ten shades paler than he already was.

"Yes." James and Lily responded.

Fudge fainted.

James just shook his head, and turned back to the man impersonating Alastor Moody. There lying on the ground was a man he thought would be the last person to be a Death Eater: Barty Crouch Jr. He stood there in stunned silence as they restrained the man, and revived the Minister. The fool wanted still wanted to go get a Dementor, but given the fact that other Ministry officials were there he was talked out of it.

Once Snivellus administered the Veritaserum the questioning began. As the story unfolded James' blood began to boil. How had no one checked on Bertha's mental health? All someone needed to do was send Bertha to St. Mungo's the moment she seemed a little abnormal for her. He remembered the younger version of the girl: noisy, troublesome, but good natured. How could Crouch Sr. damn someone to a life of misery like that? The man now seemed as bad as some of the dark witches and wizards he had thrown in Azkaban.

At the mere thought of that horrid place he decided to clear his friend right now.

"Mr. Crouch was Sirius Black ever a Death Eater?" the Headmaster looked at him with worry and dread in his eyes.

"No he wasn't, you should know who betrayed you." Barty spat back.

"Of course I do, but I want to know if _he _was Imperioused." A smile threatened to crawl across his face.

"Peter Pettigrew is a willing Death Eater, and he was the one who murdered those filthy muggles too. Pity I wasn't there to help him." The smile on the man's face was sickening.

All eyes at that moment turned to the Minister, and Cornelius looked as if he had just shite himself. "But your father-"

"Is dead," while the others in the room shivered Bartemius laughed manically.

"Take him to Azkaban." A stern voice from behind James sounded off.

James turned around to see Amelia Bones staring at the Death Eater as if his very presence made her ill. "Amelia it's good to see you again."

"It is good to see you… well James." Amelia said this with a half smile.

"Don't you mean 'alive' Ami?" James couldn't help but laugh at the look his old housemate was giving him. "I'll behave I swear."

"James we need to get Harry to the Medical Wing," chided Lily.

"All right, all right," James looked over at the black 'dog', "come on pooch."

"His name is Snuffles dad." Harry was laughing the entire way as 'Snuffles' growled lightly at him.

* * *

A/N: This is both a challenge and a story that I am writing. Anyone may use portions of this chapter, but three things must happen: death release James, Lily, and Cedric from its realm, and takes the Horcrux in Harry in exchange, and Hermione and Daphne must be either a friend or love interest for Harry, but both must be in his circle of friends. Other than that you are free to do as you see fit.


	2. Reunions and Bad News

Chapter Two: Reunions and Bad News

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or affiliated characters, places, and things. They all belong to J.K. Rowling and affiliated companies. This particular plot is mine however. And to make it seem more cohesive to the original stories I am using some of the lines from them, but they are not my material. They came for the excellent mind of their owner.

A/N: Keep the reviews coming! Cheers!

Harry was a happy fourteen year old at the moment. He was surrounded by those that loved him: his friends, his godfather, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, and for the first time in over thirteen years his parents. He was still in shock about what had happened. Voldemort had returned to life through some sick and twisted ritual, but even that was now overshadowed by the return of his mum and dad. In some ways this was good. For starters he wouldn't be going back to Dursleys. The next thing was Rita Skeeter had to recant everything she had said about him in no small part thanks to Hermione. The final good thing that he could see out of all of this was that Dumbledore could no longer tell him he had to go back to his relatives.

On the down side he now had three people nagging over his health and well being. Madam Pomfrey was a given. Being the school nurse it was her job to see to the sick and injured. Then there was Mrs. Weasley. Harry loved her like a mother, and like a mother she fussed over him as if he were one of her sons. Then there was his own mother. She examined him almost obsessively, and treated him as if he were spun glass. Harry loved her, but this was a bit much.

Harry picked up this morning's copy of the _Daily Prophet_. The headlines made him smile. _Rita Skeeter recants her tails of Harry Potter! Harry Potter and Cedric Diggory Bring Triwizard to Hogwarts! Lord and Lady Potter Restored to LIFE! _Harry decided to read once again the article about his parents.

_Potters Restored to LIFE!_

_By Billy Cohen_

_As hard as this is going to be to believe folks Lord James Charles Potter and his wife Lady Lily Evans Potter are alive! As of Six o'clock yesterday evening the parents of the Boy-Who-Lived were restored to life by Death herself. Yes ladies and gentlemen Death is a woman. Well at least that is the form It took. Now as to what is after this life the Potters do not remember, but they say they were able to watch their son, and friend from the hereafter._

_Members of the Department of Mysteries confirmed that Death had rejected the Potters and one other person (name withheld) were rejected by Death. How the DoM knew of this they were unwilling to say, but one can assume that they are studying the act of Death to combat Necromancers, and as such would have some means of detecting a person's death and reanimation as an undead creature. To that end they swear that the Potters are not undead creatures, and that they were truly 'resurrected' from the dead in some manner. And given what some of the wittiness's have said Death was not willing to do this again._

_If the public is wondering what they will be doing this reporter is sadly unable to tell you, but one would assume that they will be spending a majority of their time with their son Harry Potter The-Boy-Who-Lived. It is this reports hope that we, the public, give them the privacy they require, and yes that includes you as well Rita!_

"Reading the _Prophet_ again son?"

Harry looked up as his mum entered the Medical Wing. She was flanked by his dad and Sirius. He saw Hermione come around the corner shortly after them, and Ron wasn't far behind. Hermione looked overjoyed, and Harry thought he knew why.

"So did Viktor just ask you to marry him yet?" Harry said with a coy smile gracing his features.

"No you prat." Hermione's voice was some were between scolding and shocked.

"Now, now son she's just dating the boy, it's not like he's asked her to marry him." His father said between bleats laughter.

Hermione's face was beat red, and she seemed to be mumbling something. While his mum was glaring at the both of them, and Madam Pomfrey just shook her head as if this was nothing new. He remembered what happened when they brought him into the medical wing last night.

* * *

Harry was being supported by his mum as he limped his way into the Chamber of Doom, also affectionately known as the Medical Wing. The moment he entered the room Madam Pomfrey came running out of her office. The moment she became aware of who was supporting Harry she fainted.

"She usually sets him up there," McGonagall point to the third bed from the door on the right hands side.

"What do you mean usually?" his mum asked.

"Well given how often he goes off to do heroic things, and/or gets hurt in quidditch Poppy has often said she wants to put his name above one of that bed." Professor McGonagall said as she cast the Reviving charm on Madam Pomfrey.

"I thought she was joking about that?" Harry asked dumfounded.

"No, I am afraid Madam Pomfrey is serious about that Mr. Potter." Harry could swear there was a smile tugging at McGonagall's lips. "Are you all right Poppy?"

"I am fine Minerva I must have imbibed too much butterbeer is all. I could have sworn that…" her voice fell flat as her eyes once again landed on Harry's mum and dad. Madam Pomfrey pinched her left arm, and the slapped herself once, in what Harry assumed was an attempt to make sure she wasn't dreaming. "James," Madam Pomfrey looked to his father who simply nodded, "Lily?" Again she looked to his mum who simply nodded. The next thing Harry knew his mum and dad were in what looked to be bone crushing hugs from Madam Pomfrey. "How did this happen?"

* * *

Harry just smiled at Madam Pomfrey's reaction to the retelling of what happened. First she checked his mum and dad to make sure they were not some kind of misguided witch or wizard's horrible practical joke, and then she checked to make sure they were not some kind of nefarious spirit. How she knew how to do the last part Harry didn't want to know. All of this just drove it home he didn't want to truly anger Madam Pomfrey as he was fairly certain they would never find his body.

A pair of snapping fingers in front of his eyes brought him back to the here and now.

"Honestly Harry," his mum said curtly.

Harry looked around the room. His dad and Sirius were laughing their arses off, Hermione looked as disappointed as his mum, Ron looked as if he had swallowed something foul, and there were four people in the room that he didn't recognizes.

"Um Lily, I think he was just recovering from the potions from last night." Madam Pomfrey said.

"I would agree with you if his eyes weren't glued to Daphne here." His mum pointed to one of the young girls he didn't recognize, and Harry's breath was taken away. She had shoulder length sandy blonde hair, and these stunning violet eyes. The rest of her figure wasn't anything to scoff at either, but Harry had more respect for the fairer sex than to stare at _that _part of the female body. "Son, pay attention," his mum snapped.

"Yes ma'am."

"Honestly James he is so much like you." His mum said exasperatedly.

"Well at least he has your brains, and my mad quidditch skills." His father then proceeded to breathe on and brush his nails on his chest. He was subsequently hit with a pillow thrown by his mum. "Oi, what was that for?"

"You being a pompous prat," His mum said curtly. "Any way Harry this is Daniel and Quinn Greengrass. They are old friends of mine from school," his mum point to a man with midnight black hair and violet eyes and a woman who could only be the girl's mother as they had matching hair and facial features, "and these are their daughters Astoria and Daphne." Astoria looked to be in her second year, and Daphne was in his year. Both of them were in Slytherin, but did that _really_ matter?

"Harry your doing it again," Hermione's voice interrupted his thoughts.

Astoria started laughing hysterically while Daphne just rolled her eyes.

"They almost remind me of you two." Quinn said with smile.

"What do you mean _almost_?" asked his father.

"Well my daughter while as smart as Lily is a little aloof. Also they are in two separate houses." Mrs. Greengrass pointed to the Slytherin logo on Daphne's robes.

His dad scoffed. "Like that would have stopped _me._"

Madam Pomfrey, his mum, and Mrs. Greengrass glared at his dad. Harry never thought his dad would back into a corner, but at the moment his father was doing his best to do just that. Sirius was laughing at his father's blunder while the girls were giggling. A soft cough from the doorway stole everyone's attention. Albus Dumbledore was standing in the doorway looking as regal as possible. The edges of his robes were singed, and Harry wonder if he had been receiving Howlers for Sirius' false imprisonment, or maybe it was from parents upset at the danger their children had been in because of Crouch Jr. teaching at Hogwarts.

Harry looked over at his mum and dad. While his father's face held a look of indignation and scorn his mum's held all of that mixed with a little bit of sympathy.

"What do you want Albus?" his father asked.

"To say I'm sorry." While his voice sounded remorseful Dumbledore was still staring determinedly at Harry's father. "I would still like him to go to his aunt and uncles for the summer at least until you get your affairs in order." There was a look of determination on his face.

"NO!" his parents said as one.

"James, Lily this is important. In the muggle world he is safe-"

"We have a plan Albus, and if he is hurt by them during the execution of this plain I will set them both on fire." The temperature in room seemed to drop a few degrees as her mum said this. "And if this is about your precious wards you can reapply them to our house."

"You're moving back to Godric's Hollow?" Professor Dumbledore asked.

"Yes, that place held such good memories for us, and we are not going to give that bastard the glory of chasing us out of _our _home. That is OUR house, and we _will_ reclaim it." His father said this with such determination that Harry thought the world was holding its breath.

Dumbledore let out a held breath. "If I cannot convince you then I guess there is nothing left to do, but inform the Dursleys that Harry will not be returning."

"No don't do that." Lily said quickly.

Harry looked to his mum in stunned disbeliefe. "Why?"

"Harry your mother and I talked long into the night, and we both want to scare the every loving sh-"

"James!" His father was cut off by his mum and Mrs. Greengrass.

"Sorry." His father said between snippets of laugher.

"Anyway Harry your father is correct the two of us are planning a two prong approach to this." His mother continued his father's explanation. "We think that scaring them senseless is a good revenge."

"Why?" Harry was dumbstruck by this.

"Your aunt and uncle deserve it. So after we scare the… daylights out of them we will be taking you home with us." His father changed what he wanted to say after be tapped up side the back the head by his mum.

"So, you are going to press charges on them?" Professor Dumbledore asked.

"No. Even though they deserve it we will not give them their fifteen minutes of fame. And I find it atrocious that you of all people let this happen. Before you say it was the only way no it wasn't Albus. You could have let them know you were watching them, and they would have treated Harry a lot better than they did. They might not have treated him like a son, but they sure as hell wouldn't have lied to him about what happened to us, used him as slave labour, and Vernon damn sure wouldn't have physically abused him."

"And she gets on to me about my language." His father muttered.

The room burst into laughter as his mum glared at his dad.

* * *

The next week was a mad house for Harry Potter. His parents had spent the entire week at Hogwarts while the house he had only spent a year in was restored to its former beauty. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley were glad to have Harry's mum and dad back. Mrs. Weasley informed them of the things that her sons had found out about the Dursleys, and when his father heard what the twins did to Dudley he shook their hand in congratulations much to the chagrin of Mrs. Weasley.

The only down side to all of this was Ron. He seemed to be less than thrilled that Harry's parents were friends with the Greengrass family. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley had told him point plank that Lord and Lady Greengrass never supported Voldemort, and that they were both in Ravenclaw during their school years, but Ron refused to accept this seeing as both their daughters were in Slytherin.

Hermione didn't seem to care about this one minor detail, and she and Daphne seemed to set aside all of their previous encounters owing to the fact that Daphne and her sister were half-bloods.

Hermione didn't seem to care about that though, and she had gone so far as to put aside the issues she and Daphne had garnered over the years. Hermione it seems had also rekindled her relationship with Victor Krum. This above everything else seemed to annoy/anger Ron. Harry told him if he liked Hermione he should have said so long before the Yule Ball. This though only seemed to get him more agitated. As a result Ron was spending more of his time with Dean and Seamus again.

What was interesting was the row between Draco Malfoy and Pansy Parkinson. Harry was not clear as to the details, but he knew it had something to do with Daphne, and that whatever it was didn't sit well with the pug.

"Harry, are you listening?" Hermione chided.

Harry looked around to find his friends and family staring at him like he had missed a grand prize giveaway or something.

"What?" Harry said looking around the room.

"He is defiantly your kid Lils." His father said between bits of laughter.

"Don't his eyes say that?" Hermione asked.

"Of course they do Hermione, but Lily is just like him in that regard. She'll get to thinking about something and away she goes." His father made a pushing away jester as his mother glared at him. "What? Its true Lily and you know it."

His mum rolled her eyes. "What we were talking about is what we were going to do when school lets out."

"Really?" asked Harry.

"Yes Harry, really," said Daphne. Harry wasn't sure if she was being honest or sarcastic.

"Harry your father and I are inviting your friends stay over for a bit of the summer." His mum said with a smile on her face. "Oh and we," she gestured to herself and his father, "will be keeping an eye on things to make sure they don't get too heated. If you know what I mean."

"I'm not Sirius mum." Harry whined.

The girls at the table started laughing out right at this point.

Over the next couple of day the group discussed what they would be doing over the summer. Hermione was going to spend part of it with her mum and dad. They were going to Bulgaria with her to visit Viktor and his family. Daphne it seems was going to visit a friend of hers for a few days then she _might_ come over to visit. There was a part of him that hoped he didn't make a complete fool of himself while she was visiting.

* * *

Daphne was packing up her things the train was leaving tomorrow, and unlike her friend Tracey she didn't like waiting to the last minute to pack her things. At the moment said friend was chatting with Eloise Farley about what she was going to be doing this summer. This brought to mind what she was going to be doing. She and her sister were going with her parents to Florida to visit family for a couple of weeks. Why her aunt and uncle had to move all the way to the United States was beyond her. Yet at the same time she didn't want to complain as this gave her time to work on her tan away from lecherous eyes. Well at least the lecherous eyes of Draco Malfoy. Daphne shook her head at the audacity of that prat. The fool thought that just because his father was Lord Malfoy that this gave him some kind unalienable right to determine the course of Slytherin house, and beyond that how those in the Snake's Pit were supposed to act.

"Earth to Daphne, come in Daphne." The sound of Tracey's voice snapped her back to reality. "Honestly girl, you have only seen the Boy Blonder up-close and personal in the last couple of weeks don't tell me you're already smitten with him."

Daphne rolled her eyes at her friend's comment. "Honestly Tracey I am not smitten with Harry Potter."

"Keep telling yourself that Greengrass." Farley said.

Daphne huffed and returned to packing her belongings. Honestly how can these two think she was _in love_ with Potter? Sure he had a nice tone physique, those stunning green eyes, and kindness the other boys just didn't have, but she was NOT in love with him. Her mind tried to wander as far away from the topic of Harry Potter as it could. She tried thinking of the latest fashions from the magazine her cousin Sally had sent her, and her mind drifted off to what Harry would look like wearing some of those clothes. Gritting her teeth she tried think of some American guy lounging on a sunny beach in a tight fitting swimsuit, and instead came up with a fantasized image of Harry Potter in the same swimsuit. Closing her eyes hard she tried to think of the most ridiculous thing in the world: skiing in the Swiss Alps in a bikini in the middle of a snowstorm. Just when she breathed a sigh of relief an image of Harry Potter skiing right beside her in the snowstorm wearing those tight swimming trunks appeared.

"AHHHH!" the other two girls in the room jumped, and about six other people including her sister came to see what was wrong.

* * *

Vernon Dursley was not a happy man. He had just been informed by the authorities that his son had been caught with cigarettes on campus, and there was a suspicion that they had been taken out of one of the teacher's cars. On top of all of this he had to pick up THE Boy this afternoon, and had to cut a business call short to achieve this. He just hopped that the boy's unnaturalness didn't interfere with his business dinner in a couple of weeks. Hell Dudley's Headmistress was coming to dinner tonight to discuss something of dire importance, and hopefully he didn't mess this up. This was Smeltings his alma mater!

He looked at his watch. Three thirty-five. Where was that boy? He should have been here thirty minutes ago. He had seen at least fourteen of these _unnatural heathens _leave through that pillar, and yet the boy and the usual riffraffs that accompany him had yet to appear. He was tempted to waltz through that barrier to whatever freakish structure lay beyond. Just before he made the dumbest decision in his life the boy walked out with his usual crowed following him.

"About time boy," he grumbled as the freak drew near, "come on I don't want to be late. We have a guest coming over for dinner."

"Yes, Uncle Vernon." The boy said quietly. Vernon could wipe the thought out of his head that he was smiling.

He was remarkably quiet during the trip back. And partially to annoy the boy he turned on the radio. The news was on at the moment, and what it had to say mad Vernon's blood run cold.

_Ladies and gentlemen there is some news about the escaped criminal Sirius Black. The couple has been in a coma for the last thirteen years and identifies the real criminal as a man known as Peter Pettigrew. He is description is as follows…_

Vernon looked into the rear at the boy to see his reaction had not changed. Did he know of this? Was this why he was late he was late, or was there some other nefarious reason the boy took so long? He had to get to the bottom of this.

"Boy did you know of this?" Vernon growled.

"Yes I did uncle, but until they sort out how to address his escape I am living with you and aunt Petunia." The freak said calmly as if this was not earth shattering news it was.

"So you're telling me that you knew of this and you didn't tell us about it at ALL!"

"I just learned it myself Uncle Vernon, and HAD I known he was cleared of these things prior to today I wouldn't be going home with you."

"Don't give me that tone BOY!" Vernon took the opportunity of a red light to look over his shoulder at him. "And if this freak shows up tonight I will let my displeasure about this situation known."

"Of course Uncle Vernon, but he will be coming to pick me up as soon as he can, so it would be advantageous for you and Aunt Petunia to let me keep my school things so all I have to do is grab them and go."

The freak was finally showing him some proper respect. Either someone was teaching the boy proper manners (unlikely), or all those beatings were finally paying off.

"Fine, keep your school things in your closet, but I don't want you taking any of out tonight do you hear me?" Vernon damn near growled this at the boy.

"Of course Uncle Vernon," the congenial tone in the boy's voice was starting to worry Vernon.

Once back at home Vernon went straight inside, and his nose was greeted by the pleasant smell of Petunia's cooking. Dudley was no doubt up in his room getting ready for his Headmistress' arrival. His end of hear report had included some good notes. It seems that he was no longer being accused of bullying other students, and his grades had improved dramatically. It seems that they finally got some decent teachers, and kicked out those onerous kids that were making those faulty accusations. He knew Petunia was ecstatic about this turn of events as well.

Once inside the kitchen Vernon saw Marge sitting at a much larger table then he remembered being in this room. Their table was large enough to seat five people, but this thing looked like it could seat ten people. There was no way such a table could fit inside their kitchen. He looked over at Petunia who just shook her head, and pointed towards the living room.

Once there his wife said "A couple of those freaks showed up today, and did there unnaturalness to expand our kitchen. They said something about some people coming over to check on _him,_ and that the space would be needed." She looked over her shoulder. "And Marge was driven her in a fancy limonene saying that someone had paid for the trip. Vernon I don't know what's going on, but I think it has something to do with the boy."

"It better not, and if it is because of that Sirius Black fellow he can just take the boy and GO!" Vernon all but screamed the last part. He wanted to go up stares and give the boy a piece of his mind, but right now he need to go get ready for their guest. The lecture could wait.

Once in the shower Vernon started wracking his brain for what the boy could be playing at. It couldn't be too complex after all his father was a complete div. The man was an offensive and diminutive fool from what Vernon could remember, and a perpetual child as well. To think he was stuck raising that _things_ child was what really aggravated Vernon. He tried, really tried to beat the freakishness out of the boy, but it didn't work. At least he was afraid of Vernon enough to never use that _abominable _gift of his against him. Oh sure he threatened him with it a couple of years ago now, but that was nothing compared to what his father had done. Vernon shuddered at the mere thought of it. His hair had stayed pewter for months. He had to dye it just so he could go to work and not answer any foolish question about the whole thing.

Vernon forced himself to focus on the task at hand and get ready for the evening. Shutting off the shower he thought of what life would be like without the boy here. It would be nice to have that spare room for all of Dudley's things once again. Oh how he was going to enjoy kicking the boy to the curb when he was eighteen. What a joyous day that was going to be.

As Vernon was putting on his trousers he heard Petunia scream, and a loud thud followed it. Thinking that they were being invaded by those freaks he grabbed security bat, and proceeded downstairs. The sight that greeted him at the front door made his eyes bulge out of his head. Standing there looking not a day older than the last time he saw him was the boys father, and next to him Petunia's sister.

"This can't be… this is impossible!" Vernon screamed.

"What's wrong Vernon?" Marge asked as she came around the corner. He wanted to tell her no one but it was too late. "Who are you, and why do you look like that wretched boy?"

"My name is James Charles Potter, and I believe you think I am an alcoholic." The smile on the man's screamed trouble. "Ah Vernon good to see you again, and Harry my how you've grown since last I saw you."

Vernon turned around and nearly fell over. Standing there in a suit much better than anything he could afford was the boy. The smile on his face hid nothing from Vernon he knew this was going to happen! "Of course I am different then the last time you saw me father I was in nappies the last time you saw me."

"What is the meaning of this!" Vernon screamed.

"Ah well Vernon _dear_ it is simple we just woke from the comas we have been in for the last thirteen years. And we come to find out that you and Petunia my dear _sweet _sister have been telling lies about us. And Harry my dear sweet boy, come here." Lily Evans Potter held her arms open.

Vernon watched as the boy slid past him, and went straight to his zombie parents. No they weren't zombies those were shambling corpses from those foolish movies, and hopefully those freaks could create such horrors. The boy turned back to him and the smile on his face made Vernon's blood boil, but the sight of his wife getting to her feet made him worry for her safety.

"Ah and you must be Dudley." Vernon turned to the kitchen to see his son standing there with a confused look on his face. "I am sorry I forgot we've never met. I'm your Uncle James."

"But that's impossible Harry's father is dead." Dudley said flatly.

"No my wife, Lily, and I have just been in a coma for the last thirteen years. We were never dead son."

"He is not _your _son!" Petunia screamed.

"He knows that Pet, and to be honest we are family so what's the harm in a little _name calling._" Vernon swore the woman's words caused the temperature to drop drastically.

His son looked up to him, and there was really nothing he could do. He need to get ready for the Smeltings Headmistress, and standing here in his trousers and an under shirt was not ready. Vernon turned and walked up the stairs before his son could respond. How were they going to explain this to Marge? Those two were supposed to have been blown up by a mad man.

* * *

Harry was standing there next to his mum and trying not to fall over laughing. Petunia was standing there gobsmacked that his mum was 'still' alive, and given the look on Marge's face she was utterly dumbfounded about the whole thing. Dudley kept looking between Harry's father and Harry, and given the look of bewilderment on his face Dudley still didn't believe it.

"What are you grinning at BOY?" Marge snapped.

"His name is Harry, and you would do well to remember that madam." His mother growled.

"You're the reason he is the way he is you tram-" Marge was cut short as his father drew his wand and silenced her with a flick of his wrist.

"Much better," James said with a vindictive smile on his face. "Now Headmistress Smith should be here shortly so why don't we help you get things ready?"

"Yes since we as a family have donated to Smeltings." Lily said gesturing to her and James. "Now let me help you in the kitchen Pet."

"Stop calling me that!" Aunt Petunia wailed her horse like face contorting into a look of anger.

"Then stop calling my son 'boy' and 'freak' Pet." His mother said with a smile on her face.

Harry followed his mum into the kitchen. He could feel Marge's callous gaze following the two of them but he didn't care. For the first time in his life he loved being in this house. Sure it wasn't because his extended family was treating him well, because they weren't, it also wasn't because cause he was better dressed than Dudley, and it wasn't because Dudley kept looking his mum up and down like she was a tasty sweet. Harry actually found that last bit a little creepy. No, he was happy here because he was never coming back to this place again, and the day of his leaving his relatives would be left dumbfounded about the level of wealth he actually had.

"Why are you shaking your head son?" his father asked.

"Cause I just thought like Malfoy, and I don't want to be like that greedy little bastard." Harry said looking down at the ground.

"Language Harry and it's good that you don't want to be like that pompous little prat." His mum was smiling over her shoulder at him. "That shows you have a heart Harry, and that's a good thing. And who knows maybe a certain violet eyed girl will express some interest in you."

"Mum not now. Please." Harry all but whined.

"Who would want you?" asked Vernon as he entered the room. "I would think that any girl worth her merit would stay away from Incurably Criminal Boys." He said this more than likely due to the glare Marge was giving him.

"Actually you might want to tell your sister the truth Vernon before the Headmistress arrives." At that moment the doorbell rang. "Oh too late, I'll get it." James walked out of the dining room.

Marge just looked at him imperiously as Harry helped set the table. It was clear she wanted to degrade him like normal. The silence was deafening, and it took all of Harry's will power not to break out in laughter as Professor Smith expressed sympathy for Marge's vocal cord 'injury'.

Aside from the constant glaring from Marge the dinner went rather well. Professor Smith expressed her gratitude for the donation the Potter's made towards Smeltings (a grand total of a hundred and fifty thousand pounds), and during that entire explanation Harry watched Vernon and Marge's eyes get this greedy look upon them. Vernon's look when he heard that the new library they were building would be called Potter Library in honor of the family's donation. Marge at that point looked like she wanted to say something, but kept her mouth shut.

"If it were possible I would offer you a place at Smeltings Mr. Potter, but they way your parents tell it you are already in a private boarding school." Headmistress Smith smiled at Harry.

"Yes ma'am, and I appreciate the offer Headmistress, but I don't believe my current Headmaster would appreciate my departure seeing as I am one of his top students." Harry said this while bowing his head.

"That's understandable, and as I understand Heartson Academy for the Gifted hasn't seen a student of your caliber in years, as far as your sportsmanship is concerned."Headmistress Smith was smiling at this. While Marge Dursley look dumbfounded, again, at this revelations and Harry wondered what her face would look like once she found out where he actually went to school. "Well the meal was excellent, and Dudley I do hope I will see you fewer times in my office next year."

Dudley looked at his parents, but it was Harry's mum who responded. "I don't think you will be seeing him much next year Professor Smith, and I think a lot of his problems were due to the stress that had occurred when some of my sons friends came to pick him up last summer."

"I see," she said between snippets of laughter, "well I hope they don't make a repeat of those mistakes," she looked to Dudley, "all of them." When she said this last part Harry had placed Professor McGonagall in Smith's place as this woman seemed to be just as hard on the rules as his head of house.

Dudley gulped really loud. "I will make an effort of it Headmistress."

"See that you do." Professor Smith said sternly. "And would you pass the message to your friends as well Mr. Potter?"

"I will Professor Smith." Harry's father said a mischievous smile on his face. "Trust me I can teach them a lesson on the issue of 'pranking' people."

"I will see you out Professor." Vernon said before the conversation could go further.

"It was a pleasure to meet you all, and I am amazed at your recover time Lord and Lady Potter." Professor Smith said as she waved at Harry's parents.

"So were our doctors, and it was the hope of seeing our son again the spurred us on." His mother said as she gave Harry a one armed hug. Harry could feel his cheeks redden out of embarrassment.

As Uncle Vernon lead Professor Smith to the front door Harry took this time to smile at Marge. As at no point during the meal did he call her 'Aunt Marge.' The look on her face at this point was classic Dursley: puce in colour, look of superiority on her face, and glare so prominent the Death held it… no Death held _her_ breath. That was going to take some getting used to.

"Are you going to blink or am I going to have to poke you in the eye?" his mother asked. At first he thought she was talking about him, but when he looked at her she was glaring right back at Marge. "You know my son is a human being not some piece of art to be stared at." Harry felt the rush of a spell brush past his knee.

"YOU WHORE! WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE? YOU DRUNKEN FOOLS COULDN'T EVEN DIE PROPERLY, AND WHAT IS THIS I HEAR OF THIS _BOY_ GOING TO HEARTSON ACADEMY! HE GOES TO ST. BRUTUS' SECURE-"

"That place does not exist." Harry was thankful that his mum stopped Marge's tirade. Even though his hands were over his ears the ringing sound caused by Marge was still raging. Harry wished that magic could somehow lower the volume of her voice not just simple mute it. "And if you can't control the volume of your voice Ms. Dursley I will silence you again."

"HOW DARE YOU-" once again Marge fell silent.

"I warned you to control your voice you rotten whore, and before you get onto how we're," she pointed to Harry's father and herself, "drunks and drug addicts, I would like you to know that we take in no more alcohol than your average adult does in a single day in ONE month." His mother put a little too much emphasis on the word 'one' in Harry's opinion since he watched his father and mother put away their fair share of butterbeer. "As for drugs what's the point? Lose one's mind to nonsense? Even at his wildest James wasn't that stupid."

"Again she complains to us about our language." Harry's father whispered to him. Harry nodded I agreement.

"I heard that James," his mother glared at his father. Harry caught the trace of a smile on her face though. "Let's get out of here I feel as though I need to take two baths just to get this filth off of me." His mum glared at her own sister. "Mum and dad would be disappointed in the way you've raised your son."

"They most certainly would not! Get back here I'm not done talking to you!" His aunt was running after them, and by the sounds of pounding feet she was not alone. "Lily I demand to know why you lied to me!"

His mother turned on her heels. "I didn't lie to you, or more precisely Albus Dumbledore didn't lie to you! We were dead! Murdered by a madman, and we've been watching over our son for these last thirteen years! Be thankful PET that the dead can't truly interact with this world 'cause if we could've you and your husband would be a bloody mess for the way you treated our son!" His mum turned her visceral rage to Marge once again. "And you are the worst out of three of you! Your constant belittling of our son as if he was some piece of art put on display! You cast all your shortcomings onto other people in order to make yourself feel better! And if you think anyone other than your brother cares about what you say you're an idiot!" She then turned to Dudley, and to Harry's amazement her voice softened. "Dudley I don't blame you for their actions, but I do hold you to your own, but even those are the result of abuse. You are the result of a different form of neglect, and I truly feel sorry for you. If you want to know how _real_ children and young adults are treated come stay with us for a week."

The look on Dudley's face was astounding. He looked as if he was trying to figure out how his parents had neglected his needs and wants. Harry himself was puzzled by this proclamation. Dudley had been given everything, and allowed to get away with everything short of serious offenses. Maybe that was it, but that was a hard pill for Harry to swallow. Out of all the times tonight his mum's temper hand come to a breaking point this was the most puzzling.

"Petunia I don't understand it. I knew you hated me, but why my son, your nephew, an innocent in all of the things between us. I will be checking in on Dudley to make sure your treating him right as well." With one last flick of her wand his mum removed the Silencing Charm from Marge. "I told you to keep your mouth shut didn't I?"

With that she started walking towards a Bentley parked in the Dursley's driveway. Harry saw Sirius standing outside the driver's side door. His mum summoned the keys into her hands. Pointed Sirius to the back, and his godfather only whimpered. Harry looked to his dad, and the look on his face made Harry worried. If his father was pale before he was bleached white now.

"What's wrong dad?" Harry asked.

"Your mothers driving," he said flatly.

"It can't be that bad can it?"

"Just buckle your seatbelt is all I can say." Sirius said as he climbed into the back seat.

"Why?"

"Your mother has a lead foot." His father said as he closed the passenger side door.

"He's joking right?" Harry asked as he got in the car.

"Buckle your seatbelt and find out." His mum said. A crazy glint was held in her eyes.

Harry slowly fastened his seatbelt. He looked between the front passenger seat where his father had a firm grip on the door handle, and his godfather who was doing the same thing to his own door. A look of sheer panic was etched on his face. Harry looked to his mum, and her face carried a look of sheer glee. The smile on her face gave off the impression of some kind of mania. He looked back to Sirius. Upon his godfather's face was a look of sympathy as if Harry was a child about to thrown off a cliff. As they traveled down the roads of Little Whinging felt as normal, and for a moment Harry thought his father and Sirius' fears were unfounded, but that changed the moment they left Little Whinging's streets. "Oh, dear God," Harry nearly screamed as he felt the car lurch forward. Harry thought his stomach was going to into his mouth as the car lurched forward. He could feel the car moving upwards and he felt his body press hard against the seat. Harry prayed that his mother was not going to drive him to Kings Cross next year.

* * *

A/N2: This chapter is unedited as i no longer have a beta. Any wishing to do this send me a PM. Thank you for reading please review. Thank you for your time.


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